Wealth Factory

Garrett Gunderson started Wealth Factory in 2006 with four partners as a regional financial services firm operating across Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and parts of California. The company had grown to 42 employees by 2006 and was generating substantial revenue through commissions on financial products and hosting expensive regional events. However, that year brought tragedy: two of Gunderson's business partners died in a company plane crash on June 9, 2006. Rather than shutting down, Gunderson took four months to keep the firm alive during the crisis, then emerged with a completely new philosophy focused on simplicity, cash-positivity, and reasonable growth.

The plane crash fundamentally changed how Wealth Factory operated. Gunderson moved away from the commission-based model and regional footprint, transitioning to a virtual practice serving entrepreneurs across the U.S. and Canada. By mid-2017, the firm had shifted from hosting expensive events and employing financial teams earning commissions to operating as a consulting-based advisory firm. The company raised fees substantially and began outsourcing financial, accounting, and legal services through a rigorous 9-month vetting process rather than earning commissions on every service.

Wealth Factory operates as a virtual family office for entrepreneurs generating $1-10 million in revenue who don't yet qualify for traditional family offices. Clients pay one-time consulting fees ranging from $10,000 to $150,000 depending on services. The firm deliberately limits growth to 10 new clients per month and caps total client base around 125-250 to maintain what Gunderson calls "customer intimacy." This constraint-based growth philosophy emerged after the company grew too fast in 2010, taking on 370 clients annually and experiencing a 12% dissatisfaction rate. By refocusing on quality, dissatisfaction dropped to just 1%.

The key to Wealth Factory's success was repositioning from a transaction-based commission model to a consulting model aligned with client interests. By stopping commission-based conflicts of interest—no longer earning fees on accounting, legal, or investment products—Gunderson built trust through objectivity. He also authored the New York Times bestseller "Killing Sacred Cows" (2008), which built credibility and relationships. Gunderson sold 22,000 copies before publication through strategic partnerships and webinars, demonstrating how leverage could amplify his message. His personal goal wasn't maximizing revenue but rather taking home "a couple million" while keeping the firm focused and intimate, a philosophy that attracted clients seeking genuine financial partnership over high-pressure sales.

As of mid-2017, Wealth Factory was operating with a intentionally limited growth strategy, taking on just 10 new clients per month and targeting 175-250 total clients. The firm had expanded to serve all of the U.S. and Canada virtually, with no multiple office locations. Gunderson remained focused on his core philosophy: helping entrepreneurs understand that "risk is in the investor, not the investment," and encouraging them to think strategically about cash management and economic independence rather than speculative investing. His parallel success as a bestselling author reinforced his positioning as a thought leader on wealth for entrepreneurs, creating multiple revenue streams while maintaining the consulting practice as his primary focus.